Bishops Quote by Edward Gibbon
“If the emperor had capriciously decreed the death of the most eminent and virtuous citizen of the republic, the cruel order would have been executed without hesitation by the ministers of open violence or of specious injustice. The caution, the delay, the difficulty with which he proceeded in the condemnation and punishment of a popular bishop, discovered to the world that the privileges of the church had already revived a sense of order and freedom in the Roman government.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1776
A ruler’s arbitrary power can be checked by institutional resistance, revealing how legal and religious structures protect liberty.
In simple terms: Power unchecked can be resisted by law and tradition.
Key Takeaway
Support institutions that limit arbitrary authority.
Themes
politics
law
history
authority
resistance
Mood
cautious
reflective
Type
historical
analytical
When to use this quote
- government reform
- judicial review
- civil rights activism
- church-state relations
Key Concepts
checks and balances
institutional power
civil liberty
Questions to Reflect On
- How do modern checks on power compare to ancient Rome?
- What role does public opinion play in limiting authority?
A Different Perspective
If institutions are weak, tyranny may still prevail.
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![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
![“[In] the national and religious conflict of the [Byzantine and Saracen] empires, peace was without confidence, and war without mercy.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/338/edward-gibbon-710_byzantine_in-the-national-and-religious-conflict-o_29382.jpg)
![“[Every] hour of delay abates the fame and force of the invader, and multiplies the resources of defensive war.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4de/edward-gibbon-710_delay_every-hour-of-delay-abates-the-fame-and_94668.jpg)
